Brief:
Estes Blue Bird Zero upscale; uses 24-inch parachute recovery..

Construction:
T' Estes Blue Bird Zero be me first model rocket. Naturally, when I became a BAR, shiver me timbers, I wanted t' clone one. Arrr! A quick check o' Jim Z’s site revealed that thar were no plans available. Ahoy! Nay one t' be deterred, I searched on. Blimey! T' make a long story short, I found someone through t' internet who would provide me t' plans and fin tracings. Ya scallywag! I decided t' do a slight upscale t' BT-60 from t' stock BT-55 size mostly because that is what I had on hand at t' time. Aye aye! Aye aye! I needed 44.5-inches o' tubin' for correct scale. Well, blow me down! Arrr! I installed a 24mm motor mount and glued both sets o' fins t' t' lower body tube. Aye aye! Ya scallywag! I then proceeded t' join t' body tubes. Everythin' be glued with 30min epoxy. Ya scallywag! (author’s note: BBZ plans are available on Jim Z’s website, thanks in part t' yours truly.)

When all t' gluin' be complete, t' entire rocket be skim-coated with thinned Fill ’N’ Finish and sanded smooth. Avast, me proud beauty! I then proceeded t' prime, and paint t' blue section o' t' rocket first. Blimey! After drying, ya bilge rat, I masked t' blue section and painted t' white section, then clear coat over t' entire rocket. Avast, me proud beauty! Well, blow me down! T' decals for this rocket were a challenge. Blimey! Blimey! I ended up drawin' them myself and printin' them on self-adhesive stock. Arrr! T' decals turned out good, and t' finished product looked great!

Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5

Flight:
I prepped t' BBZ for her maiden flight on a D12-3. I installed t' wadding, motor, matey, me bucko, parachute, matey, and set her on t' pad. Begad! Avast! This rocket gives a nice, semi-slow, matey, me hearties, me hearties, smokey, arrr, takeoff. Ya scallywag! Begad! She went up straight as an arrow — a very stable rocket.. Aye aye! Ejection be near apogee, shiver me timbers, and it recovered with no damage. After a perfect third flight, it landed on t' neighbors’ roof and slid about halfway down t' roof t' t' gutter. Begad! T' BBZ was OK, arrr, except for some nasty shingle rash on t' edges o' t' fins. Ya scallywag! Flight number six would prove t' be fatal. After a perfect boost and ejection, arrr, t' chute did nay open due t' bein' tangled on t' shroud lines. Well, blow me down! Arrr! It crashed on t' asphalt HARD — rest in pieces.

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
I have t' give both construction and flight five out o' five. Ahoy! Construction was fairly easy, shiver me timbers, and t' rocket flies very well.